By LAURA BORRELLI
Web Editor
Kayla Franzken, a senior at The College of Saint Rose, said she was grateful for her experience to find herself. Franzken is extremely involved in the Saint Rose community and has grown from the experiences and lifelong friends that Saint Rose provided for her.
Franzken is from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and has three sisters. Franzken’s twin sister Sarah also attends Saint Rose. Both girls saw a commercial for Saint Rose when they were in the ninth grade, and Franzken jokingly said they were going to go there.
Eight years later, they both are graduating from Saint Rose. Franzken did not want to go to the same school as her sister, because she thought it was best for them to make new experiences by themselves, because they would always have each other wherever they went to college.
Franzken was afraid that people would acknowledge her and her sister as one, instead of individuals. Franzken toured Saint Rose and it just felt right. Franzken said that the slogan Saint Rose has about being home is perfect.
“The feeling you get when you walk on campus makes you feel at home,” said Franzken. She loves being on the quad, appreciating the weather and seeing smiling faces. Beside the quad, she loves being in the Sanctuary. It is a calming presence for Franzken.
Having her sister by her side has helped Franzken stay motivated. Her sister’s passion to help others is a big influence and helps Franzken keep going. Her twin wrote in an email that Franzken is already changing the world at Saint Rose and in her community.
“Kayla has such a bright future ahead as she is bright, determined, and has a grateful heart,” wrote Franzken’s sister. She said she knows that Franzken’s future will be bright, “so bright that she needs to wear shades.”
Franzken came to Saint Rose with an undecided major, but she knew she wanted to help people in some way. She ended up taking a communications class and loved it. She is graduating with a degree in public relations.
Franzken enjoys learning about ethics, brand image, and how to deal with crises in the world. Being in the field of public relations, Franzken has to be able to deal well with being under pressure and acting fast to handle the situation.
Her favorite part of her job is that it is always changing, and Franzken wants to always be moving and adapting to new challenges. It is really important to create a good image, and in the process Franzken is able to help others find their individuality and brand themselves to best represent themselves.
Franzken believes that everyone needs to represent themselves and have a good public image in a way for people to engage with you. She is able to share her passion through her involvement in the communications department.
Aside from communications, she has dedicated her spirit to fighting against cancer by being the Vice President of Colleges Against Cancer (CAC). She has been involved in the club for all four years, and has helped organize Relay for Life, an annual cancer research fundraiser; she has helped with fundraising events; and she has run meetings every week for a great cause.
“It is so important when you know so many people struggling with cancer, to stand your ground and fight for them,” Franzken said. Helping to raise money for treatments and wigs leaves such a big impact on those fighting for their lives.
Franzken said she loves being a part of a club that makes a difference. Relay for Life is one of the biggest events on campus, and Franzken enjoys seeing the whole school gathered fighting for the same cause.
Erika Hall, a sophomore at Saint Rose, works very closely with Franzken through CAC.
“Her kindness is contagious and makes others want to be just as nice as she is. She is definitely someone who will be remembered at Saint Rose by staff and students!” Hall wrote in an email.
Hall said she believes that Franzken shines brightly at Saint Rose and impacts everyone she meets with her kind heart. Hall wrote that her experience would not be as amazing as it was if she hadn’t met Franzken.
Franzken was also Hall’s resident assistant (RA) in Brubacher Hall. As an RA Franzken was always caring and “sees the best in people and wishes the best for them.”
Franzken was an RA for two and a half years. Franzken said that that job was the foundation of her time at Saint Rose. She learned so much from taking on such an important leadership position.
One thing that she took away from her communications studies is how important it is as a leader in a community.
“This job has really great moments and challenges but we have great support from other RAs and Staff,” said Franzken. Some of her best memories, she said, are with the staff that have become her best friends. Franzken recalled countless game nights that she was able to be her true self around. “I don’t know what she would have done if I wasn’t an RA.”
Franzken was thrilled to be a part of the Happiness Support Project; it was one thing she looked forward to every week. It was an opportunity for her to express herself and spend time with authentic individuals, she said.
Franzken was one of the students who helped Joan Horgan, Director of Spiritual Life, execute the Happiness Project. Horgan wanted to make a video to give students ways to be happy. Franzken had the idea to have people come to the Sanctuary.
According to Franzken, all of the meetings had really great energy, and no one ever gave up on being happy. Happiness is not easy, Franzken said, and she believes that you have to work for it. The personal connections she made with everyone who attends the meetings means a lot to Franzken.
Horgan spent a great deal of time with Franzken because she had been the Sanctuary’s work study student for a few years. She has been involved in lots of planning and organizing different events. Franzken helps keep everything running smoothly.
“Kayla is a beautiful public speaker and her voice is so full of comfort and quiet strength. It was then that Kayla’s light shone even brighter because her compassion and care would come right through the words she was reading,” Horgan wrote in an email.
Horgan had the pleasure of meeting Franzken in the Sanctuary during her campus tour before she even committed to Saint Rose. Horgan was so happy that she was able to meet with Franzken that day.
“I was so impressed with the human being that Kayla is right from moment one. Her shiny spirit just beams right out of her and you know you are meeting someone very important to know,” Horgan wrote.
Horgan saw how much Franzken was a person of amazing faith, and is honest and true to herself. Horgan describes her as a “fountain of kindness.”
Horgan knows that Franzken’s faith, care and enthusiasm will take her far in life.
“Whoever gets to work with Kayla is unbelievably lucky and I cannot wait to hear about where life goes for her,” Horgan wrote.
Franzken said that Horgan is wonderful and always lifts her up. She has been so grateful to work with her for the past four years.
Franzken is heavily involved in volunteering in and out of the Saint Rose community. Reach Out Saint Rose is an event every year that Franzken had the privilege in participating in.
“Just giving back to the surrounding community really made my heart happy. I love to make people feel acknowledged and valued,” Franzken said.
Just this past spring break, Franzken also traveled to San Francisco on a service trip, which she said was a beautiful experience. It was eye opening for Franzken, and she was happy to help others as much as she can.
Lindsay Nazak, a graduating senior, was able to talk to Franzken right after her service trip. Franzken told Nazak about a woman who was struggling, and as she was sharing the emotions of this woman to Nazak, Franzken became sad.
“This describes her as a person because she is very empathetic and cares deeply about other people,” Nazak wrote in an email. Not only is Franzken a ray of sunshine in San Francisco, but she has been a ray of sunshine for Nazak since seventh grade when they first met.
“I am beyond blessed to have her in my life,” Nazak wrote. She can make anyone’s day with just a smile. Nazak knows that some days it was hard for Franzken to smile, but she hasn’t let any of her struggles stop her from reaching her goals.
“She worked hard to get this degree and she’s going to do even more amazing things in the future,” Nazak wrote.
Franzken said that she is really proud to almost be an alumni of Saint Rose. She doesn’t want her time at Saint Rose to be over; she would turn back time to start it all over again. Franzken will use what Saint Rose taught her to her new job in Latham.
Franzken is going to be an account representative at the Executive Consulting Group. The company helps other companies rebrand themselves and reflourish. She is really excited to start her new job, and to be able to stay in the Albany community.
Franzken is so grateful to have had the opportunity to go to college and graduate as a new individual that Franzken said she would not have recognized freshman year. Saint Rose helped Franzken find herself and now she is able to help other companies find themselves as well.
“I know my calling is to serve others with great love, and that is just what I will do.” Franzken said.
